Architects of a Better World

Photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/282237

Oscar Niemeyer is a practicing architect in Rio de Janeiro.

A fact which might be less impressive if he were not 103 YEARS OLD.

But that being the case, Niemeyer has picked up a little bit of wisdom in his more than a century on this planet, including this little bit he dropped in a recent interview:

“…it is important that the architect think not only of architecture but of how architecture can solve the problems of the world. The architect’s role is to fight for a better world, where he can produce an architecture that serves everyone and not just a group of privileged people.”

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get exactly that vibe from great pieces of architecture. I sense that they were designed not for the enjoyment of a few, but for the pleasure of many.

Want to judge for yourself? As you look at some of these great works of architecture, take a few minutes to reflect on the designer’s dream.

And maybe, also, you might take this cue from a 103 year old architect and pause to consider whether you’re using your own craft to fight for a better world.